Capitol again, took them and carried them home.  After this occurrence no quarter was shown on either side, but they abused and slandered each other as much as they could, without refraining from the basest means.  One declared that the tribuneship of Clodius had been contrary to law and that therefore his deeds in office had no authority, and the other that Cicero’s exile had been justly decreed and his restoration unlawfully voted.

[-22-]While they were contending, and Clodius was getting much the worst of it, Marcus Cato came upon the scene and made them equal.  He had a grudge against Cicero and was likewise afraid that all his acts in Cyprus would be annulled, because he had been sent out under Clodius as tribune:  hence he readily took sides with the latter.  He was very proud of his deeds and anxious above all things that they should be confirmed.  For Ptolemy, who at that time was master of the island, when he learned of the vote that had been passed, and neither dared to rise against the Romans nor could endure to live, deprived of that province, had taken his life by drinking poison.[51] Then the Cypriots, without reluctance, accepted Cato, expecting to be friends and allies of the Romans instead of slaves.  It was not, however, of this that Cato made his chief boast; but because he had administered everything in the best possible manner, had collected slaves and large amounts of money from the royal treasury, yet had met with no reproach but had given account of everything unchallenged,—­it was for this that he laid claim to valor no less than if he had conquered in some war.  So many persons accepted bribes that he thought it more unusual for a man to despise money than to conquer the enemy.

[-23-] So at that time Cato for the reasons specified had some hope of a proper triumph, and the consuls in the senate proposed that a praetorship be given him, although by law it could not yet be his.  He was not appointed (for he spoke against the measure himself), but obtained even greater renown from it.  Clodius undertook to name the servants brought from Cyprus Clodians, because he himself had sent Cato there, but failed because the latter opposed it.  So they received the title of Cyprians, although some of them wanted to be called Porcians; but Cato prevented this, too.  Clodius took his opposition extremely ill and tried to pick flaws in his administration:  he demanded accounts for the transactions, not because he could prove him guilty of any wrongdoing, but because nearly all of the documents had been destroyed by shipwreck and he might gain some prestige by following this line.  Caesar, also, although not present, was aiding Clodius at this time, and according to some sent him in letters the accusations brought against Cato.  One of their attacks upon Cato consisted in the charge that he himself had persuaded the consuls (so they affirmed) to propose a praetorship for him, and that he had then voluntarily put it by, in order not to appear to have missed it when he wanted it.